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A round type of cake rolled, like a snake. The M’Hencha gets its name from the word hench which means snake.
It is made with a base of almond paste rolled in layers of bastela pastry, and should be browned in the oven and crustry.

Ingredients :

- About 30 auarka layers for bastela in rectangles 20 x 30 cm

- 8” x 12”

- 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of almonds

- 2 soupspoonfuls of orange-flower water

- 700 g (1 lb 9 oz) of caster sugar

- 2 egg yolks

- 1 level soupspoonful of cinnamon

Preparation of the almond paste:

Skin the almonds after blanching in boiling water. Wipe them on a clean cloth and add the sugar and orange-flower water. Pass through a mincer three times running.

Put this paste in a thick-bottomed saucepan on a low heat with the melted butter and mix gently with a palette knife until the sugar softens and sticks to the almond paste (approximately 15 to 20 minutes).

Take off the heat, leave to cool and mix the cinnamon and the 2 egg yolks in thoroughly.

Preparation of the M’hencha:

Shape long sticks of almond paste the thickness of your thumb. Stick 2 ouarka pastry layers together lengthways with egg yolk,

the shiny side on the table. Place a stick of almond paste 2 or 3 cm (1 or 1 1/4) from the edge of these layers lengthways and roll all round. Stick the ends of the layers together with egg yolk. Do this with all the sticks of almond paste. Then take one of the wound-up sticks, roll it round like a snails shell and place in the middle of the oiled baking sheet. Stick a second stick to the first one with egg yolk and slide the end in the envelope of the first one.

Roll it like a snake round the first stick and continue until all the almond sticks have been used up. Brush the top with egg yolk and brown in the oven. Years ago this cake was put in the Tbsil dial bastela and browned all over on charcoal embers.

When it is nicely browned put it on a round dish and sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon.